Objectives: Elodea Plant

OBJECTIVES
1. To describe plasmolysis.
2. To demonstrate skill in making wet mount Elodea plant.
3. To determine the effect of salt solution on Elodea plant.
INTRODUCTION
The direction of movement of substances across the plasma membrane in the cell
depends on the concentration of the solution around it. The solution with a higher concentration
of solutes than the cell is said to be hypertonic. The solution with a lower concentration of
solutes than the cell is hypotonic. Solutions of equal solute concentration are said to be isotonic.
The solution with higher solute concentration (hypertonic) has a lower water concentration.
Therefore in a cell, water diffuses across the membrane from the hypotonic solution (high water
concentration) to the hypertonic solution (low water concentration). This process is called
osmosis.
MATERIALS
Forceps
Microscope slide
Coverslip
Compound microscope
Elodea plant
Dropping bottle of distilled water
Dropping bottle of 10% sodium chloride (NaCl)
METHODS
1. With a forceps, two young leaves are removed from the tip of an Elodea plant.
2. One leaf is mounted in a drop of distilled water on a microscope slide and the other in 10%
NaCl solution on a second leaf.
3. Coverslips are placed over both leaves.
4. The leaf is observed at 40× and 100×. The distribution of chloroplast in the cytoplasm is
noted. Your observations are recorded. The cell wall, cell membrane, chloroplast, and cytoplasm
are labeled.
5. The step 4 is repeated with the Elodea leaf mounted in 10% NaCl dolution. After several
minutes in the salt solution, the cell will lose water, causing it to become plasmolysed.
6. To observe deplasmolysis, slowly and gently the coverslip is removed from a preparation
exhibiting plasmolysis, the salt solution is drained and two drops of distilled water are added.
After one minute, a coverslip is placed on the preparation. The leaf is examined and seen what
happens during plasmolysis.
RESULTS
Refer the diagram 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4
DISCUSSION
When the Elodea plant is immersed in the distilled water which is hypotonic solution,
water molecules diffuse into the cell by osmosis. According to the microscope, we can see the
chloroplast with the green colour gain water, expands and exerts pressure outwards on the cell
wall. This pressure is called turgor pressure. It caused the plant cell to become turgid (very firm).
The turgidity of the cells give the plant mechanical support.
When the Elodea plant is immersed in the 10% salt solution (NaCl solution) which is
hypertonic solution, water molecules diffuses out of the cell by osmosis. Water is lost from the
vacuole and cytoplasm. When seeing through the microscope, we can see the green colour of
chloroplast shrink and become smaller. The cytoplasm, together with the plasma membrane,
shrink and is pulled away from the cell wall. The plant cell loses water and shrivels. The cell
become flaccid (limp), causing the Elodea plant to wilt. This process is called plasmolysis. When
the plasmolysed Elodea plant cell is immersed in a hypotonic solution such as distilled water,
there is a net movement of water into the cell. The cell will expand and become turgid again. The
plant cell is said to undergo deplasmolysis.
1. Prepare sketches of group of Elodea cells under each of conditions (distilled water and
10% NaCl).
- Distilled water : diagram 3.1 and 3.2
-10% NaCl : diagram 3.3 and 3.4
2. Would the plant cells burst when exposed to a hypotonic environment? Why or why not?
-The plant cells will not burst to a hypotonic environment because the plant cell contains cell
wall which functions to maintains the shape of the plant cells and provide the support for plant
body so, it is impossible for the plant cell to burst. Moreover, the cell wall of the plant cell is
made by cellulose and fully permeable.
3. Would you describe the distilled water as a hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic solution?
Why?
- The distilled water is hypotonic solution because the distilled water has lower concentration of
solutes than the cells. The water molecules diffuse into the cell at a faster rate. There is a net
movement of water molecules into the cell.
4. Would you describe the 10% salt solution as a hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic
solution? Why?
- The 10% salt solution is hypertonic solution because the 10% salt solution has higher
concentration of solutes than the cells. The water molecules diffuse out the cell by osmosis
process. There is a net movement of water molecules out of the cells.
5. If a hypotonic and a hypertonic solution are separated by a selectively permeable

membrane, which direction will the water move?
- The water will move from the hypotonic solution to the hypertonic solution.
OBJECTIVES
1. To identify and describe the stages of cell cycle in the cells of actively growing onion root
tips.
2. To demonstrate skill in making wet mount of onion root tip squash.
MATERIALS
Microscope slide
Coverslip
Compound microscope
Onion root
1M HCl
Toluidine blue
Blade
METHODS
1. An onion bulb is obtained that is just beginning to show the emergence of roots. A root is cut
off and is laid on a microscope slide. The first 1-2mm of the root tip is cut off; a dot-sized piece
of root tip is all you need. The rest of the root is discarded. Mitotic cells are in the tip, so extra
root tissue will only interfere with finding mitotic cells.
2. The root tip is covered with two or three drops of 1M HCl. A clothespin is used to hold the
slide, the slide is warmed by passing it back-and –forth over the flame of a Bunsen burner for 5
seconds. You might smell a faint aroma of cooking onion. If the onion turns brown or if the
liquid boils away, stop and start over.

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OBJECTIVES

2. To demonstrate skill in making wet mount Elodea plant.

3. To determine the effect of salt solution on Elodea plant.

Dropping bottle of distilled water

Dropping bottle of 10% sodium chloride (NaCl)

Refer the diagram 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4

- Distilled water : diagram 3.1 and 3.2

-10% NaCl : diagram 3.3 and 3.4

5. If a hypotonic and a hypertonic solution are separated by a selectively permeable

2. To demonstrate skill in making wet mount of onion root tip squash.

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